Vandals shoot up pump station, slash tires

Authorities are searching for vandals, who in separate incidents, fired gunshots at the Kellogg pump station in Luling and slashed tires on Woodland Drive in Boutte.

During the Kellogg pump station incident, vandals used the pump station as a target and caused $1,500 worth of damage. Numerous bullets damaged light fixtures, walls and at least one exhaust pipe for pump discharge, according to parish spokeswoman Renee Simpson.

The pump station is located at 540 River Oaks Drive south of Mimosa Park.

The damage likely occurred last weekend and the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office has taken bullet casing from the pump station to help with their investigation.

“We can’t stress enough how crucial these pump stations are in keeping neighborhoods free from flooding during heavy rain events,” said Monique Granier, risk manager for St. Charles Parish. “The other consequence of this vandalization is that it forces everyone to pay, as repairs are done at the taxpayer’s expense.”

Granier said that pump operations were not interrupted during the incident.

Anyone who has seen suspicious activity around the station or may have information on this incident is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (985)783-6807 or the St. Charles Parish Emergency Operations Center at (985)783-5050.

In the other vandalism incident, which took place on Woodland Drive, several cars had their tires slashed. Sheriff Greg Champagne said there appears to be no valid reason or motive for the crimes, other than sheer vandalism, and that investigators suspect juveniles.

Anyone with information on the slashed tires is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office detective bureau at (985)783-1135 or by calling 9-1-1.